This application relates to the field of communications technologies, and discloses a communication method and a communication apparatus, to reduce service delay due to uplink data cannot be directly sent by a terminal when the terminal is in an inactive state. The method in this application includes: receiving a first message from a first access network device; then releasing or suspending a configured dedicated signaling radio bearer SRB and resetting protocol entities corresponding to a configured data radio bearer DRB. The first message is used to indicate to a terminal to enter a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state, and the first message carries an identifier of the terminal in the radio resource control (RRC) inactive state and radio access network notification area (RNA) information.